BACKGROUNDA significant proportion of US Latinos with diabetes have limited English proficiency (LEP). Whether language barriers in health care contribute to poor glycemic control is unknown.OBJECTIVETo assess the association between limited English proficiency (LEP) and glycemic control and whether this association is modified by having a language-concordant physician.DESIGNCross-sectional, observational study using data from the 2005–2006 Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE). Patients received care in a managed care setting with interpreter services and self-reported their English language ability and the Spanish language ability of their physician. Outcome was poor glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin A1c > 9%).KEY RESULTSThe unadjusted percentage of patients with poor glycemic control was similar among Latino patients with LEP (n = 510) and Latino English-speakers (n = 2,683), and higher in both groups than in whites (n = 3,545) (21% vs 18% vs. 10%, p < 0.005). This relationship differed significantly by patient-provider language concordance (p < 0.01 for interaction). LEP patients with language-discordant physicians (n = 115) were more likely than LEP patients with language-concordant physicians (n = 137) to have poor glycemic control (27.8% vs 16.1% p = 0.02). After controlling for potential demographic and clinical confounders, LEP Latinos with language-concordant physicians had similar odds of poor glycemic control as Latino English speakers (OR 0.89; CI 0.53–1.49), whereas LEP Latinos with language-discordant physicians had greater odds of poor control than Latino English speakers (OR 1.76; CI 1.04–2.97). Among LEP Latinos, having a language discordant physician was associated with significantly poorer glycemic control (OR 1.98; CI 1.03–3.80).CONCLUSIONSLanguage barriers contribute to health disparities among Latinos with diabetes. Limited English proficiency is an independent predictor for poor glycemic control among insured US Latinos with diabetes, an association not observed when care is provided by language-concordant physicians. Future research should determine if strategies to increase language-concordant care improve glycemic control among US Latinos with LEP.

Background: Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), such as telmisartan, have been postulated to treat Covid-19-induced lung inflammation. Methods: This is a parallel-group, randomized, two-arm, open-label, adaptive, multicenter superiority trial with 1:1 allocation ratio. Participants included patients from 18 years of age hospitalized with Covid-19 with 4 or fewer days since symptom onset enrolled at a university and a community hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Exclusion criteria included prior intensive care unit (ICU) admission and use of ARBs/angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors at randomization. Control arm received standard care alone and treatment arm telmisartan 80 mg twice daily for 14 days. Primary outcomes were C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels at day 5 and 8 after randomization. Secondary outcomes included time to discharge within 15 days, admission to ICU and death at 15-and 30-days. NCT04355936 (Completed). Findings: A pragmatic decision to end the study before the third interim analysis was made on Oct. 30th due to sharp reduction in recruitment. A total of 162 patients were randomized. 158 patients enrolled between May 14 and October 30 2020, were included in the analysis, 80 in the standard care and 78 in the telmisartan added to standard care group. Baseline absolute CRP serum levels were 5.53 § 6.19 mg/dL (95% CI 6.91 to 4.15, n = 80) and 9.04 § 7.69 (95% CI 9.04 to 10.82, n = 74) in the standard care and telmisartan added to standard care groups, respectively. Day 5 control-group CRP levels were 6.06 § 6.95 mg/dL (95% CI 7.79À4.35, n = 66) while telmisartan group were 3.83 § 5.08 mg/dL (95% CI 5.08À2.59, n = 66, p = 0.038). Day 8 CRP levels were 6.30 § 8.19 mg/dL (95% CI 8.79À3.81, n = 44) and 2.37 § 3.47 mg/dL (95% CI 3.44À1.30, n = 43, p = 0.0098) in the control and telmisartan groups, respectively (all values expressed as mean § SD). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that telmisartan-treated patients had a lower median time-to-discharge (control=15 days; telmisartan=9 days). Death by day 30 was reduced in the telmisartan-treated group (control 22.54%,

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COVID-19 pandemic demands a swift response to find therapeutic tools that effectively reduce morbidity and mortality. Despite initial fears, evidence from retrospective observational studies supports the inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system as an emerging pathway to delay or moderate angiotensin II-driven lung inflammation. This has triggered several prospective clinical trials. In this commentary we provide an overview and analysis of current ongoing clinical trials aimed at evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) use in COVID-19. The relevance of the results of these trials will have to be interpreted depending on the stage and severity of the disease and in light of the start time of their prescription related to the time of diagnosis of COVID-19 as well as the administered doses.

Background. Covid-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, is associated with significant respiratory-related morbidity and mortality. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have been postulated as tentative pharmacological agents to treat Covid-19-induced lung inflammation. Trial design. This trial is a parallel group, randomized, two arm, open label, multicenter superiority trial with 1:1 allocation ratio. Methods. Participants included patients who were 18 years of age or older and who had been hospitalized with confirmed Covid-19 with 4 or fewer days since symptom onset. Exclusion criteria included intensive care unit admission prior to randomization and use of angiotensin receptor blocker or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors at admission. Participants in the treatment arm received telmisartan 80 mg bid during 14 days plus standard care. Participants in the control arm received standard care alone. Primary outcome was to achieve significant reductions in plasma levels of C-reactive protein in telmisartan treated Covid-19 patients at day 5 and 8 after randomization. Key secondary outcomes included time to discharge evaluated at 15 days after randomization and admission to ICU and death at 15- and 30-days post randomization. We present here a preliminary report. Results. A total of 78 patients were included in the interim analysis, 40 in the telmisartan and 38 in the control groups. CRP levels at day 5 in the control group were 51.1 +/- 44.8 mg/L (mean +/- SD; n=28) and in the telmisartan group were 24.2 +/- 31.4 mg/L (mean +/- SD; n=32, p<0.05). At day 8, CRP levels were 41.6 +/- 47.6 mg/L (mean +/- SD; n=16) and 9.0 +/- 10.0 mg/L (mean +/- SD; n=13, p < 0.05) in the control and telmisartan groups, respectively. Also, analysis of time to discharge by Kaplan-Meier method showed that telmisartan treated patients had statistically significant lower time to discharge (median time to discharge control group=15 days; telmisartan group=9 days). No differences were observed for ICU admission or death. No significant adverse events related to telmisartan were reported. Conclusions. In the present preliminary report, despite the small number of patients studied, ARB telmisartan, a well-known inexpensive safe antihypertensive drug, administered in high doses, demonstrates anti-inflammatory effects and improved morbidity in hospitalized patients infected with SARS -CoV-2, providing support for its use in this serious pandemia (NCT04355936).

Background Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is associated with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Argentina is one of the major consumers of SSBs per capita worldwide. Determining the impact of SSB reduction on health will inform policy debates.

BACKGROUND: Physicians in Argentina smoke at rates similar to the general population, and do not have a clear role in tobacco control strategies. OBJECTIVE: To describe the attitudes and knowledge of medical students and recent graduates towards smoking behavior in Argentina. DESIGN: Cross-sectional self-administered online survey conducted in 2011. PARTICIPANTS: Medical students and recent medical graduates from the University of Buenos Aires. MAIN MEASURES: Attitudes and knowledge were evaluated by responses to 16 statements regarding the effects of smoking cigarettes and the role of physicians in tobacco control. Rates of agreement with a full ban on indoor smoking in different public settings were assessed. KEY RESULTS: The sample included 1659 participants (response rate: 35.1 %), 453 of whom (27.3 %) were current smokers. Only 52 % of participants agreed that doctors should set an example for their patients by not smoking, 30.9 % thought that medical advice had little effect on patients' cessation behavior, and 19.4 % believed that physicians could decline to care for smoking patients who failed to quit. In adjusted logistic regression models, current smokers had less supportive attitudes about tobacco control and were less likely than non-smokers to agree with a full indoor smoking ban in hospitals ( Recent medical graduates had more accurate knowledge about cessation and were more likely to agree with a full smoking ban in recreational venues. CONCLUSIONS: Although most participants reported a strong anti-tobacco attitude, a proportion still failed to recognize the importance of their role as physicians in tobacco control strategies. Current smokers and current students were less likely to support indoor smoking bans. Specific educational curricula could address these factors.

BackgroundInternet-based marketing has become an attractive option for promoting tobacco products due to its potential to avoid advertising restrictions. In Argentina, several cigarette brands have designed websites for the local market, which promote user participation.ObjectiveThe intent of the study was to report on the use of tobacco company-sponsored websites by medical students and recently graduated physicians.MethodsAn online self-administered survey was conducted among eligible medical students and recent graduates from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). Sampling was from lists of email addresses of students enrolled in two required courses. Eligibility criteria were ages 18-30 years and reporting on smoking status. Questions on Internet use included accessing a tobacco brand website at least once during their lifetime and any use of tobacco promotional materials.ResultsThe response rate was 35.08% (1743/4969). The final sample included 1659 participants: 73.06% (1212/1659) were women and mean age was 26.6 years (SD 1.9). The majority were current medical students (55.70%, 924/1659) and 27.31% (453/1659) were current smokers. Men were more likely to report having seen a tobacco advertisement on the Internet (P=.001), to have received a tobacco promotion personally addressed to them (P=.03), to have used that promotion (P=.02), and to have accessed a tobacco-sponsored website (P=.01). Among respondents, 19.35% (321/1659) reported having accessed a tobacco-sponsored website at least once in their lifetime and almost all of them (93.8%, 301/321) accessed these sites only when it was necessary for participating in a marketing promotion. Most people logging on for promotions reported entering once a month or less (58.9%, 189/321), while 25.5% (82/321) reported accessing the tobacco industry Internet sites once a week or more. In adjusted logistic regression models, participants were more likely to have accessed a tobacco brand website if they were former smokers (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.42-4.22) or current (OR 8.12, 95% CI 4.66-14.16), if they reported having seen a tobacco advertisement on the Internet (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.77-3.37), received a tobacco promotion personally addressed to them (OR 5.62; 95% CI 4.19-7.55), or used one of these promotions (OR 14.05, 95% CI 9.21-21.43). Respondents were more likely to be current smokers if they received a tobacco promotion (OR 2.64, 95% CI 2.02-3.45) or if they used one of these promotions (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.31-2.85).ConclusionsOur study suggests that tobacco industry websites reach medical students and young physicians in a middle-income country with their marketing promotions. Current or proposed legislation to ban tobacco advertising needs to include Internet sites and related social media.